The barest hooks of a narrative are here but stitched together with a lot of energy and stylish flourishes from cinematographer Benjamin Rufi.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The barest hooks of a narrative are here but stitched together with a lot of energy and stylish flourishes from cinematographer Benjamin Rufi.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

There is a lingering, half blossomed melancholy that lies underneath the often very funny, fast-paced moments of quotidian chaos.

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

There is a lingering, half blossomed melancholy that lies underneath the often very funny, fast-paced moments of quotidian chaos.

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

The Japanese filmmaker guides his actors as if they were just learning emotions, creating an impression of awkwardness.

~ Mateusz Tarwacki -

The Japanese filmmaker guides his actors as if they were just learning emotions, creating an impression of awkwardness.

~ Mateusz Tarwacki -

Digression builds upon detour, which piles charmingly onto excursion, sometimes lifted, sometimes pushed and always shaped by a score that also roams freely in its influences.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Digression builds upon detour, which piles charmingly onto excursion, sometimes lifted, sometimes pushed and always shaped by a score that also roams freely in its influences.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The most restrained and yet audacious, unadorned and still intelligent picture the Argentinian auteur has made.

~ Levan Tskhovrebadze -

The most restrained and yet audacious, unadorned and still intelligent picture the Argentinian auteur has made.

~ Levan Tskhovrebadze -

While the addition of more bad guys offers additional scope for action sequences, the characters aren’t given enough time for development.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

While the addition of more bad guys offers additional scope for action sequences, the characters aren’t given enough time for development.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Right from the outset, this film zeroes in on Tina's natural charisma.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Right from the outset, this film zeroes in on Tina's natural charisma.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The use of traditional folk song and the fact that the language shifts from Italian to Spanish also highlights the way that stories are passed from mouth to ear down the generations and across borders.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The use of traditional folk song and the fact that the language shifts from Italian to Spanish also highlights the way that stories are passed from mouth to ear down the generations and across borders.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

High intensity workouts are matched by a high intensity acting performance by Magalena Kolesnik, who powers her way through this character study.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

High intensity workouts are matched by a high intensity acting performance by Magalena Kolesnik, who powers her way through this character study.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The film wears its story lightly. Even when Simón is dealing with heavier themes her focus is on Frida and her emotions.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The film wears its story lightly. Even when Simón is dealing with heavier themes her focus is on Frida and her emotions.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Gornostai avoids obvious narrative arcs in favour of just letting us hang out and observe the everyday challenges and small dramas that pepper the lives of these 16-year-olds.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Gornostai avoids obvious narrative arcs in favour of just letting us hang out and observe the everyday challenges and small dramas that pepper the lives of these 16-year-olds.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Wright doesn't try to reinvent the documentary form, but draws on the Maels' energy, matching their playfulness and incorporating both stop-motion and a decoupage styles of animation into their back story.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Wright doesn't try to reinvent the documentary form, but draws on the Maels' energy, matching their playfulness and incorporating both stop-motion and a decoupage styles of animation into their back story.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Some may be dissuaded by the painstaking pace yet the tone manages to be both humorous and heart-rending at the same time.

~ Richard Mowe -

Some may be dissuaded by the painstaking pace yet the tone manages to be both humorous and heart-rending at the same time.

~ Richard Mowe -

Zbanic's measured approach ensures that we can't look away from the unfolding horror - something that she makes clear many at the time, both peacekeepers and non-Muslim residents, found all too easy to do.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Zbanic's measured approach ensures that we can't look away from the unfolding horror - something that she makes clear many at the time, both peacekeepers and non-Muslim residents, found all too easy to do.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

By delving into fiction, Huezo is able to focus on the impact of this crisis on individual human lives.

~ Jennie Kermode -

By delving into fiction, Huezo is able to focus on the impact of this crisis on individual human lives.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Everything has been meticulously researched from the garish costumes and outlandish make-up to the mechanics of the business.

~ Richard Mowe -

Everything has been meticulously researched from the garish costumes and outlandish make-up to the mechanics of the business.

~ Richard Mowe -

The autumn setting fits it perfectly, because although this is the change of the year as things die back for winter, it is also blazing with colour and hopefulness.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The autumn setting fits it perfectly, because although this is the change of the year as things die back for winter, it is also blazing with colour and hopefulness.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Audiard captures the fluid nature of relationships for a younger generation navigating both on and offline opportunities and, because this is French, it also features plenty of gracefully worked sexual encounters.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Audiard captures the fluid nature of relationships for a younger generation navigating both on and offline opportunities and, because this is French, it also features plenty of gracefully worked sexual encounters.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Smutný gives us faces that will stories even when they're still, the weight of long experience etched into every line.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Smutný gives us faces that will stories even when they're still, the weight of long experience etched into every line.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Bliadze observes the proceedings with a cool and non-judgemental detachment and an eye for the absurd.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Bliadze observes the proceedings with a cool and non-judgemental detachment and an eye for the absurd.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Harari and his co-writers Bernard Cendron and Vincent Poymiro, show how the war propaganda becomes internalised in these men, so that even when they are given signs that the conflict may be over, they rationalise that it must be some sort of 'fake news' designed to trick them.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Harari and his co-writers Bernard Cendron and Vincent Poymiro, show how the war propaganda becomes internalised in these men, so that even when they are given signs that the conflict may be over, they rationalise that it must be some sort of 'fake news' designed to trick them.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The first-time director shows an adept grip when it comes to the rhythms of her craft, letting silence or specific sounds break out at unexpected moments, including a gripping scene when all we can hear is the spring and creak of the uneven bars.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The first-time director shows an adept grip when it comes to the rhythms of her craft, letting silence or specific sounds break out at unexpected moments, including a gripping scene when all we can hear is the spring and creak of the uneven bars.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The screenplay and direction deftly let the audience put together the pieces, making the discrepancies plain to see without hitting us over the head with their existence.

~ Jeremy Mathews -

The screenplay and direction deftly let the audience put together the pieces, making the discrepancies plain to see without hitting us over the head with their existence.

~ Jeremy Mathews -

Lynch creates unease with every camera angle and glitch in the storyline.

~ Angus Wolfe Murray -

Lynch creates unease with every camera angle and glitch in the storyline.

~ Angus Wolfe Murray -

It’s shock comedy with no sense of impact or context, because before you can let the shock set in, the movie is running full steam ahead toward another disgusting episode.

~ Jeremy Mathews -

It’s shock comedy with no sense of impact or context, because before you can let the shock set in, the movie is running full steam ahead toward another disgusting episode.

~ Jeremy Mathews -

It’s aided by Ryuichi Sakamoto’s highly evocative score, which locates it in time and space as well as providing a dramatic undercurrent to the action.

~ Jennie Kermode -

It’s aided by Ryuichi Sakamoto’s highly evocative score, which locates it in time and space as well as providing a dramatic undercurrent to the action.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The memories have the vibrant immediacy of teenage energy and are treated by Hadjithomas and her co-director Khalil Joreige in the same spirited fashion.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The memories have the vibrant immediacy of teenage energy and are treated by Hadjithomas and her co-director Khalil Joreige in the same spirited fashion.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

For all the talk of hermetical storytelling, this might be his least hermetic and most approachable movie to date.

~ Nikola Jovic -

For all the talk of hermetical storytelling, this might be his least hermetic and most approachable movie to date.

~ Nikola Jovic -

This is a clear-eyed view of the choices Jesmark and those like him are facing, showing just how complex the situation is, cutting beyond work to community and culture.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

This is a clear-eyed view of the choices Jesmark and those like him are facing, showing just how complex the situation is, cutting beyond work to community and culture.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Too much and over the top, the film nevertheless finds its rhythm.

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

Too much and over the top, the film nevertheless finds its rhythm.

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

There are scores of interviewed figures, all sorts of tall tales, but the line between biography and hagiography can be a slim one.

~ Andrew Robertson -

There are scores of interviewed figures, all sorts of tall tales, but the line between biography and hagiography can be a slim one.

~ Andrew Robertson -

Jóhann Jóhannsson has created something that successfully captures the spirit of the book whilst feeling like a memorial to humanity.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Jóhann Jóhannsson has created something that successfully captures the spirit of the book whilst feeling like a memorial to humanity.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Taps into deep, Jungian terrors and turns confusion into an asset.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Taps into deep, Jungian terrors and turns confusion into an asset.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Writer/director Basholli directs with a deceptively simple handheld aesthetic, emphasising the bleak reality of the setting.

~ Jeremy Mathews -

Writer/director Basholli directs with a deceptively simple handheld aesthetic, emphasising the bleak reality of the setting.

~ Jeremy Mathews -

Panahi and his actors shift through emotions so smoothly, you barely notice them until they have immersed you.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Panahi and his actors shift through emotions so smoothly, you barely notice them until they have immersed you.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Any number of the film’s frames belong in frames, fit to adorn palace walls.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Any number of the film’s frames belong in frames, fit to adorn palace walls.

~ Jennie Kermode -

More interested in illustration than in analysis.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

More interested in illustration than in analysis.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Shot with a fluid intimacy by cinematographer Baris Özbiçer, Oyay's film gathers momentum and an increasingly punk energy as it goes.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Shot with a fluid intimacy by cinematographer Baris Özbiçer, Oyay's film gathers momentum and an increasingly punk energy as it goes.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

By animating the whole movie, Rasmussen makes the story feel more immersive and of a whole piece.

~ Jeremy Mathews -

By animating the whole movie, Rasmussen makes the story feel more immersive and of a whole piece.

~ Jeremy Mathews -

First Reformed ends up being a satisfying meditative echo rather than a simple replay of Schrader greats.

~ Owen Van Spall -

First Reformed ends up being a satisfying meditative echo rather than a simple replay of Schrader greats.

~ Owen Van Spall -

There's an odd dynamic to this animation in that the visually stunning imagery seems to have come from an entirely more rich imagination than the rather perfunctory and, at times, borderline annoying storytelling which accompanies it.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

There's an odd dynamic to this animation in that the visually stunning imagery seems to have come from an entirely more rich imagination than the rather perfunctory and, at times, borderline annoying storytelling which accompanies it.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

With jump cuts, fancy fades, and towels featuring cartoon owls and penguins, Amalia Ulman draws from her work as an artist and includes it seamlessly into the world of cinema.

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

With jump cuts, fancy fades, and towels featuring cartoon owls and penguins, Amalia Ulman draws from her work as an artist and includes it seamlessly into the world of cinema.

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

Slow to build and with an assembly of characters who are all more complex than they seem on the surface, Drive My Car exemplifies Japan’s growing body of literary cinema.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Slow to build and with an assembly of characters who are all more complex than they seem on the surface, Drive My Car exemplifies Japan’s growing body of literary cinema.

~ Jennie Kermode -

This is how the film plays out: loose and jumbled but still somehow telling a story. It's a style that suits its subject perfectly.

~ Jennie Kermode -

This is how the film plays out: loose and jumbled but still somehow telling a story. It's a style that suits its subject perfectly.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The everyday feel is acute – you can virtually smell the pickle jar vinegar and raw spirit and imagine a slight stickiness on the seats as Jani-Petteri Passi’s camera captures the scene with a looseness that rocks along with the rhythm of the train.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The everyday feel is acute – you can virtually smell the pickle jar vinegar and raw spirit and imagine a slight stickiness on the seats as Jani-Petteri Passi’s camera captures the scene with a looseness that rocks along with the rhythm of the train.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Full of unspoken pain and resentment, the treasured Chiara carries her father’s sins in his absence as she struggles to decide which course to follow in her own life.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Full of unspoken pain and resentment, the treasured Chiara carries her father’s sins in his absence as she struggles to decide which course to follow in her own life.

~ Jennie Kermode -

You might notice the elegance of composition while knowing that the place contains so much human suffering.

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

You might notice the elegance of composition while knowing that the place contains so much human suffering.

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

The director shows the warmth of the children against the cool aloofness of teachers who feel little connection to their wards, even as we know even Yusuf's herculean efforts are likely to prove ineffectual.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The director shows the warmth of the children against the cool aloofness of teachers who feel little connection to their wards, even as we know even Yusuf's herculean efforts are likely to prove ineffectual.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

After the fantastic opening scene, snapshots of their life in Georgia set the tone.

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

After the fantastic opening scene, snapshots of their life in Georgia set the tone.

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

Given the state of the things, it's fair to say that some of the situations that will arise are telegraphed ahead of time, but that adds rather than detracts from the tension - after all, aren't all satisfying meals in some ways connected to anticipation?

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Given the state of the things, it's fair to say that some of the situations that will arise are telegraphed ahead of time, but that adds rather than detracts from the tension - after all, aren't all satisfying meals in some ways connected to anticipation?

~ Amber Wilkinson -

There’s a dryness to this comedic drama which occasionally makes it drag, but Omerzu breaks with it to great effect in places, when he’s ready to present contrasting scenes of highly emotive, character-driven drama.

~ Jennie Kermode -

There’s a dryness to this comedic drama which occasionally makes it drag, but Omerzu breaks with it to great effect in places, when he’s ready to present contrasting scenes of highly emotive, character-driven drama.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Binoche gives her all, stripping away any vestiges of actressy pretence to assimilate herself in the community while at the same time investing her performance with an authentic conviction.

~ Richard Mowe -

Binoche gives her all, stripping away any vestiges of actressy pretence to assimilate herself in the community while at the same time investing her performance with an authentic conviction.

~ Richard Mowe -

The interplay of the spiritual and the sensual is vital here.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The interplay of the spiritual and the sensual is vital here.

~ Jennie Kermode -

There's an elegance to the filmmaking as this story unravels its themes of societal prejudice, justice and remorse that elevates every frame.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

There's an elegance to the filmmaking as this story unravels its themes of societal prejudice, justice and remorse that elevates every frame.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

At times, the dialogue is well done, scores points. At other times, it felt like we had wandered into a Socratic symposium.

~ Jane Fae -

At times, the dialogue is well done, scores points. At other times, it felt like we had wandered into a Socratic symposium.

~ Jane Fae -

The way June 1941 is presented here, the looming warfare seems to happen in the present

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

The way June 1941 is presented here, the looming warfare seems to happen in the present

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

Strahinja’s whole journey leaves the feeling of participating in a sort of pilgrimage with him, via a vérité shooting style that works all the steady-cam shakes in its favour, adding to the film's authenticity.

~ Nikola Jovic -

Strahinja’s whole journey leaves the feeling of participating in a sort of pilgrimage with him, via a vérité shooting style that works all the steady-cam shakes in its favour, adding to the film's authenticity.

~ Nikola Jovic -

There’s sadness here for isolation and a grief that goes beyond the loss of a single life once lived. There’s also a heightened sense of the smaller absurdities of existence.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

There’s sadness here for isolation and a grief that goes beyond the loss of a single life once lived. There’s also a heightened sense of the smaller absurdities of existence.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

As a whole, it appears way too kinetically ostentatious for its own sake, sadly making it less than the sum of its parts, but there are things to appreciate here.

~ Nikola Jovic -

As a whole, it appears way too kinetically ostentatious for its own sake, sadly making it less than the sum of its parts, but there are things to appreciate here.

~ Nikola Jovic -

The delight of the drama stems from the well crafted characters, while its heft hinges on toxicity that may not be immediately obvious.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The script is lean, the sword edges keen and the characters mean.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

An extraordinarily thorough film.

~ Jennie Kermode -

It’s the acting that carries it, and naturally Farahani, one of the finest talents of her generation, does not disappoint.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Subtle observations about the racism that underpins this superficially idyllic society pepper a film which repeatedly forces its hero to question his assumptions.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The film concludes with what is probably the most influential special effect in the history of cinema.

~ Donald Munro -

Bethmann understands the situation well, but her closeness to the teenager and the personal character that the film takes on as a result is something else.

~ Jennie Kermode -

So carefully balanced is this that the film could almost have emerged as a romcom, and it’s that possibility, that clash between the absurdity that cinema has taught us to expect and the bitterness of real life, that makes it so effective.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Through the lens of the men’s romance, Onir takes in a good deal more, exploring the complex realities behind assumptions of prejudice and the myriad factors that go into making each of us who we are.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Throughout the film there is a sense of play, and even as the story evolves to take on darker material, something of that lightness, that happy-go-lucky quality remains.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The film hinges on amazing vocal work by Lalama.

~ Jennie Kermode -

There’s a genuine unpredictability to Honey Bunch, both structurally and thematically.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Where the episodes work is when they have a driving, kinetic energy about them. When they don't it's repetitious loop.

~ Donald Munro -

The film, directed by feature debutant Shaun Dozier, retains the density of dialogue you might expect from a stage play but, by leaning into the theatrical nature of the proceedings, Dozier is in some ways able to make this into a virtue.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

A very effective piece of low budget storytelling.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Coogan is well cast in this tricky role, moving easily from humour to heartbreak..

~ Jennie Kermode -

Manizha Bakhtari may not be a household name but after watching Natalie Halla’s documentary you’re likely to think she ought to be.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Sung’s own camera plays tricks, placing objects too close in the foreground so that parts of an image are out of focus, like an incomplete memory.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The concept, narrative, dialogue, cinematography and action sequences are elements of Scanners that can't be faulted.

~ Donald Munro -

The film hangs on Pemberton’s performance, and he imbues Doug with a sweetness that makes us feel for him despite his deeply misguided actions.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The delight of the drama stems from the well crafted characters, while its heft hinges on toxicity that may not be immediately obvious.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

A very effective piece of low budget storytelling.

~ Jennie Kermode -

An extraordinarily thorough film.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Writer/director Sandhya Suri - who has a documentary background - is keen to show that everyone plays their part in the prejudices and corruption of the legal system.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Once again, Guiraudie proves himself the master of setting up a mystery by the means of perfect script economy that functions strictly on “need to know” basis.

~ Marko Stojiljkovic -

The director shows how it’s not just Julie’s tennis skills that have been groomed by the coach but large aspects of her life.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Cat’s viewpoint predominates, and Zilbalodis has an acute understanding of how the world looks from its point of view, of what catches its attention and how its body follows instinctively.

~ Jennie Kermode -

It’s ironic that a film about a family who have built a perfect facsimile of a life for themselves should feel so overly constructed itself

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Lin and Sun studiously maintain the enigma around Shuo so that we are left guessing as to whether he’s just a disadvantaged teen trying to make his way in the world or a cuckoo in the nest.

~ Amber Wilkinson -